The Cardinal and the Niveous
by lucy.ditty
Summary: Crimson roses and lily whites, efflorescence of sordid minds sullied by sordid hands. Trust me, love, no one escapes death. AU


_**WARNING:** Possible triggers and gore  
 **FOR:** Sasuhina month 2015 - Vampire AU_

* * *

 **.** **. .**

* * *

 _The night was silent as her languid body stirred under the glow of the moonlight. As she looked out from the front gates, the first glows of dawn began to seep from over the horizon. With a sigh, she retreated back into the darkness._

* * *

 **The Cardinal and the Niveous**

* * *

It was difficult to get her way into the front doors, with legs much longer than her own arms forcefully pushing her back, there were reasons why she disliked attending classes in the city. But the exam season was over and tensions were absolved, the only night classes were cram schools located in one of the most affluent districts of Tokyo.

Finding a seat within the crowded classroom was a challenge all on its own and Hinata was almost a non-presence. Searching around at the filled seats, every time she approached one, a completely unaware student would come and sit in it before she could claim it as hers. With the way her luck seemed to work, she was wondering if it would be less of a hassle to simply stand in the back.

"Are you looking for a place to sit?"

At first, she was unaware that the voice was speaking to her. And so it repeated the question again while tapping her lightly on the shoulder. Frightened at the sudden touch, she whirled around and gasped. Behind her sat a blonde boy and girl with cherry blossom pink hair. Both dawning friendly smiles, she was put slightly at ease.

"Ah… yes…" she responded hesitantly.

"You can sit here," the pink motioned to a seat beside her. "We were saving two seats, but one of our friends actually decided that they weren't going to come anyways so you can sit here."

Hinata looked at the desk with a bag placed on top. Looking back at the pink haired girl, she nodded in timid thanks.

"No worries," the girl said.

Hinata nodded once more and hurriedly made her way to the empty seat. Setting down her things, she quickly took out her notepad and pens, setting them neatly on the desk in a complete and practiced order. Smiling confidently at her work, she was proud of set up and opened the notebook to the first blank page.

"What high school do you go to?"

Hinata looked up from her notes. The blonde had spoken to her.

With a raspy voice and eyes like the sky, she could feel as he emitted an aura of warmth and welcoming.

"I…um…"

"Naruto, don't suddenly ask people personal questions. It comes off as being creepy and stalker-ish." The pink suddenly chastised.

Hinata blinked.

"Aw, but Sakura-chan," the blonde, Naruto, whined. "It wasn't even that personal. I'm harmless. Harmless!"

"Says you, dobe."

"Ouch!"

The blonde yelped in pain as his head was assaulted by the hard cover of a textbook. Hinata was alarmed by the sudden violent action.

"Hey, Sasuke what was that for?"

She looked up.

Standing there, brooding and emitting an aura of cold indifference, was a boy with disheveled, dark hair and matching dark eyes. Lips turned into a perpetual frown and expression unreadable, he sighed and hit the blonde once more with his mathematics textbook.

"Ey, why are you hitting me?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Cause I feel like it," was his blunt response.

"Sadist…"

"What was that?" The book struck down once again.

"Ouch! That actually hurts you bastard!"

Behind them, Sakura was gave a wary chuckle at Hinata's look of surprise. Her dark eyes wide and lips parted, she bit down on her tongue – hard.

"Don't worry, they're usually like this," Sakura tried to assure.

"Is he…" Hinata said in a shaky voice.

As if finally noticing that they were in a crowded classroom, Sasuke looked up from his assault of Naruto and spotted her staring straight at him. A sudden, feral look passed over his eyes as they caught each other's attention. His breath hitched and fists clenched. She looked at him with nothing but calm.

"Sakura, Naruto…" he started in a monotonous voice, "move your stuff, we're switching seats."

"Wha…? What are you talking about, bastard?" Naruto looked at his friend in disbelief. "Do you know what we had to go through to get these seats?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"I don't care, we're moving seats."

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura spoke warily.

"Move your things." Sasuke spoke, now more demanding.

Hinata turned away.

"Why are you being so forceful, dammit?" Naruto asked. "Wake up on the wrong side of the bed? _Kami_ , it's seven in the evening, lighten up."

"I said we're moving!"

Sasuke's voice had risen, and the chatter in the classroom grew silent as everyone's attention was sudden thrusted onto them. Sakura suddenly in an embarrassed panic and Naruto giving his friend a defiant stare, the two of them quietly packed up their things and followed as Sasuke lead them to seats in the far back, away from the spot that Hinata now occupied on her own.

She gave little reaction and did not turn her head to where the three had gone. She could already feel as Sasuke was shooting a dagger like stare into the back of her head.

"What are you doing here, Hyuuga?" he growled.

The instructor had called for a short ten minute break at the halfway mark. Having waited for most of the students to clear the classroom, Hinata had taken it upon herself to walk down one of the empty hallways of the school campus, turning into a dark closet away from sight.

She had felt the killer glares Sasuke would shoot her from time to time, her perception picking up on the killer intent he was emitting.

"Taking classes," she stammered, looking away. "Same as you."

"Are you following me?" he hissed. "Keeping tabs? Did your father tell you to do this?"

"My father has nothing to do with this…" she breathed. "Despite what you may think of me, I am here to study. Nothing more."

Sasuke's expression was unamused. His lips turned into a frown as he leaned in closer, eyes turning to crimson roses.

"Need I remind you of what you are?" Though his voice did not raise, she could still feel the aura of killer intent seeping from every bone in his body. Despite his age, Hinata was surprised by sudden surge of energy.

"And need I remind you of whose territory you are in?" She countered, straightening her back but head still turned away. Her eyes flashed lily white. "How is your hunger?"

"I don't want to be asked that by a cardinal."

She gave a sullen smile.

"How long do you think you can last? It's already been three months, even I would be feeling a little peckish." She looked up at him, eyes luminescent in the shadows. "And I have much more constraint than any of my siblings."

"Does Hiashi know his princess is wandering the streets among humans? Can't think he would be particularly thrilled."

"Feeding off of animal blood can't be particularly satisfying," she continued without hesitance. "Must be like…" she paused. "Like when humans drink water? Necessary, but one cannot live on it for long."

"I could destroy you," he said, eye glowing red, "I still know how."

The words were not terrifying – though she was sure that that was what he was going for. But still her back pressed further into the wall and head turned away.

"Not only would you be breaking the treaty," she said in even breaths, "but you would die as well."

He snarled at her, eyes narrowed and lips drawn back in a feral gnarl.

"I'm already dead."

She had heard many times that he had been attractive once, perhaps he still was, but she always saw things differently than any of her blood family had. She had always held value in things that others seemed to glance over or take for granted. Even in the hazy memories of life, when she remembered the warmth of sun and light of day, she could remember bits and pieces of her that remained the same – even after her forever had long since passed.

The instructor was calling the students back to the classroom.

"Go home to your father," he threatened.

Sasuke slammed his fist against the wall beside her head, a warning, before turned to leave. Hands shoved deep into his pockets, Hinata watched him leave with a heavy heart.

* * *

"Man! That class was so boring!" Naruto whined. Arms stretched over his head, his face contorted in a yawn. "Ouch!"

"Stupid," Sakura hissed. She had hit him upside the head, her pink hair falling into her face. "You fell asleep after the first thirty minutes."

"That's only because it was so boring," he tried to defend himself, profusely rubbing the back of his head.

Sakura gave an exasperated sigh, holding her head with two fingers. The city lights and crowded streets of Tokyo were still filled and ablaze with life as hookers stood at the end of sidewalk corners and business men left their offices with briefcase in hand, as students walked along the storefront windows and young couples filled the local cafes, taking refuge from the cold autumn air.

"No one told you to come, dobe," Sasuke said. Eyes blasé and posture relaxed, the night was still young and he could not be more wide awake, but he could see the look of fatigue in his friends' expressions and tired bodies. For them, an entire day had passed. For him, it was only beginning.

"Ah, I'm only here because of you, bastard."

Naruto gave a look of defiance.

"Naruto," Sakura began to chastise, "Sasuke-kun can't help that he's-…"

"Allergic to the sun," Naruto finished the sentence having heard it many times before. "I know, I know. But geez, you can't go out even if you wear a shit tone of sunblock?"

Sakura readjusted the strap of her book bag, trying to place it in a more comfortable position on her shoulder.

"Sometimes in rare cases, it's so serious it could kill you," Sakura informed him.

Sasuke did not say a word.

"If it's that serious, shouldn't you be like… getting treatment?" Naruto stretched his neck. "I mean what have the doctors said?"

Sasuke pressed his lips together.

"Nothing," was his blunt response. "Stay out of the sun."

The trio had arrived at the train station, their book bags heavy on their shoulders.

"Eh? That's such useless information!" Naruto's voice raised in disbelief.

"Naruto," Sakura hushed.

Naruto took a second to pout, Sakura giving him a look of indifference.

"And what does Itachi say?" Naruto asked.

Neither noticed how his jaw had set.

"Nothing…"

"Well, I guess it isn't too bad," Naruto tried to reason (one of the few times he did). "You were always like a vampire anyways, sleeping in class, staying up all night for your part time job and stuff… hey! This is actually kind of perfect for you!"

"Naruto…" Sakura said, giving him only a glance.

Though his voice had held a playful lilt, that was no mistaking the concern that brimmed his expression, showing in the way his fist had clenched and jaw had set. Naruto had always been terrible at hiding his emotions and neither of the other two were idiots to have missed it.

"Hehe, but think about it Sakura-chan," Naruto continued, "Now he can actually stay up for his classes _and_ work." Forcing a cheerful smile, he added as an afterthought, "You do still work right?"

When the train came pulling into the station, lights blaring and tracks screeching, Sasuke could see his own reflection in the window just before it opened.

"Of course," was his practiced response.

* * *

"You reek of human."

Neji was a man of high stature, even in life he had been someone who took great pride in himself and his work, with rod straight posture and a lift of the chin.

"You were human once," Hinata reminded him. So many times they had forgotten.

"That was a long time ago," Neji said. "And a long time ago for you, as well."

She often forgot that.

Neji was one of the few in her blood family who openly accepted – which was synonymous to not openly rejecting – her fascinations and insistences in living life like the adolescents her age of whatever era they found themselves in. Dressing in the latest styles, attending classes in the city… He often was the first and only one to greet her in the main courtyard when she returned.

The gravel and stone beneath their feet, the air was fresher in the mountains. Neji was perched on the rooftop overlooking the city lights in the distance.

"Is father awake?" Hinata asked. She slowly climbed to be next to him.

"Father awakes even before you do," Neji replied. The moon hung above them like a lantern, a pseudo-moon. "How is he?"

After a silence, she knew they were no longer talking of their father.

"He's fine, for now…" her voice trailed. Leaning her head against his shoulder, she took in his scent; a scent of watercress and spring water. She always liked his scent best.

"Does he still refuse to feed?" Neji asked.

Her silence was an answer.

"Naïve niveous," Neji scoffed. "If he wishes to die, you should allow him that. There is no use wasting your energy on someone who rejects his own life."

Hinata remained unspeaking, her head lulling against him, his body unmoving as he felt her hair tickle against his collar bone.

"Is it because he's your first?" Neji asked. "Is that why you are so concerned with him?"

Hinata did not respond. Letting the night air and the symphony of crickets and cicadas fill the space between them; she lifted her hand to the moon. Stretching her fingers out, reaching towards the light she could not grasp. Her lips slightly parted as she smiled.

"I never really understood father's initial obsession with us… with me…" her voice was calm and slow. "Even when he took on more and more niveous, even when you or I could only be considered cardinals…"

"Even so…"

Hinata turned to him, a full smile on her face. He paused to look at her. Her large moon-like eyes, round cheeks, and sleek, dark hair. How she placed a hand on his jaw, sliding her nails against his porcelain skin till she reached the dip between the base of his neck, and his shoulders.

"Are you jealous, brother?"

Neji pulled his lips back into a bemused smile. Supporting himself with a hand, he allowed his head to slowly lull and rest onto hers, playing with a few of her strands between fidgeting fingers.

"Jealous of a niveous?"

* * *

He just barely dodged a quick attack to the side of his head. His target had good aim, he would admit. Had he been anyone but himself, he was certain that the brick could have killed. But he was him and so the target would not get away with such measly tactics.

The figure was bolting up a staircase, heaving and out of breath.

In one jolt of energy, Sasuke flew at the wall and rebounded directly in front of his target, blocking the exit onto the building's roof. The hood covered his target's face, but by the curve of the waist and bend of the shoulders, he was almost certain he was pursuing a female. It snarled.

"Heh, guess there's no hiding it, you already know," the female voice laughed. Sultry voice with a raspy end, her movements were seductive and calculating. Pulling back the hood, she let the blonde lock fall across her face, periwinkle eyes glaring at him like a lioness would her prey. "Seems as though I've gotten myself caught with a niveous."

He stared down at her, eyes unwavering.

"No matter," she sighed, "I'll make your death quick!"

Lunging at him, he maneuvered around so that only its nails scratched the surface of his skin. It flew past him and slammed its hands against the cold cement to stop its momentum. Despite initial beliefs, he had learned that vampires – a name they never called themselves – were not as invincible as the legends portrayed. Slowly she stood, a wicked smile plastered on her face.

"Not bad, niveous," she patronized. "You are no novice."

He did not give her time to say more as he pulled out a stone dagger. Old and heavy, and by many accounts unconventional. But in order to destroy a cardinal…

She flipped out of the way as Sasuke swung his arm around, aiming straight for her neck. She ducked beneath him and arched her back so as not to be caught by his swinging legs. She stood and turned, now at his back. He quickly spun to try and catch her again, only grazing the cloth around her abdomen.

"Oh, so eager to see me naked?" She teased. Leaning back, she just barely dodged another strike to her head. "Shouldn't you ask a girl out first before trying to make a move?"

Sasuke leapt into the air, arm back and ready for an aerial attack, only landing in an empty space. The stone and against stone made a reverberating sound that echoed into the vacant night sky, into the darkness that Tokyo lights had created.

"Honestly, men have evolved to be such pigs," she jested. "Not even bothering to get to know a girl before trying to take her clothes off."

"I know all I need to know about you," he spoke. Lifting his body, he saw her standing against the railing of the rooftop examining the tear in her clothes. It was obvious she was not taking him seriously. "Ino of the Yamanaka clan. Level three chakra. Ability to control the minds of her human victims. Responsible for the deaths of several high schoolers in the eastern districts."

She whistled.

"Wow, you've certainly done your research," She commented coyly. "But really, sending a niveous for four or five high school students? Don't you think that's a little much? I mean…"

She cocked her head, leaning her weight against the edge of the rooftop.

"Those children were rather depressed to begin with and had thought about suicide on more than one occasion," she spoke carelessly.

He lunged at her, the stone dagger gliding smoothly through cold air. Pushing back with his foot, he flipped over her head and attempt to strike her from the back. She easily glided around him and jabbed an elbow right into the small of his back. He fell forwards but caught himself mid-fall, his dagger flying across the rooftop floor.

"Broken families, pressures of friends, disinterest in life…" she paced around him as he searched for his weapon, spotting it hidden under an air duct. "They were rather indecisive with their actions, so I just… help them along."

"Feeding from humans goes directly against the treaty," he sneered. "The first one alone condemned you."

"People who do not value their lives deserve to die," she said in all her contempt.

He bit back an animalistic scream as he ran toward her. Jumping around to her right, he threw a fist at her stomach. She caught it and twisted it back against his back, making an audible _crunch_ as it unnaturally contorted. He refused to cry out and bent forwards as to use her own weight to throw her onto her back. Landing like a cat, she was able to tighten her core and twist onto her hands and feet. Retracting her arms he fell onto his stomach in her place. Swinging around, she landed a solid kick into his ribs and sent him flying into the wall; grunting as the air was knocked out of him.

Struggling to gain back his footing, he got onto his elbows, trying to push himself up through the pain. Ino arrived at his side just in time to pull back her leg, and slam her foot right into the area below the abdomen, right where it counted. He reeled, collapsing once again against the cold cement.

"Honestly, is this all of your worth? Is this all you can do when literally faced with death?"

Gone was any of the amusement she had once seemed to derive in their fight, and instead, in her periwinkle eyes, she was only filled with disdain and indifference. With unceremonious leisure, she lifted her arm high in the air, his stone dagger gleaming in the light of the moon, and thrusted it down through the heart. He screeched.

She looked upon him, unfeeling, as she wriggled the dagger about, reveling in the sound of arteries popping and veins squishing. Dragging it down his back, it cut his flesh like butter, right through the capillaries. He couldn't scream. Her hand released, and the dagger dropped. Her lips turned into a frown and eyes uncaring, she watched as the oozing red liquid pooled around him.

"Not drinking you would be a waste of blood," she said to no one in particular, "but then again, you were a waste of my time."

Turning on her heels to leave, she did not look back at him. Her steps light and feline like, she had her back to him.

"Never purposefully turn your back to an opponent."

There was a _swish_ , and there was a slide. Ino had no time to scream as she saw her own body – headless – and her own blood spilling. Mouth agape and eyes wide in terror, she saw her body as it flailed with arms reach and grasping, crawling. Desperate to retrieve her head.

"Disgusting, like a worm."

And her eyes grew wider. Standing, with his shirt soaked in a mixture of his and her blood, was her assailant. He lifted a foot and slammed it against her withering body. She screeched out in horror.

"Wh-what? What are you? Wh-who are y-you?" she screamed.

If she could she would have crawled away. But her helpless head could do nothing but remain still as it floundered under the weight of his foot. Picking up her rolling head, the terror in her grew.

What had once been coal, black eyes tracking her had now turned into crimson roses staring into her periwinkle. And a realization dawned on her.

"You're…" she gasped. "You're Sasuke! The niveous turned cardinal…"

It was almost comical how the places had switched, with her writhing in pain while he looked upon her with eyes of unsympathetic contempt.

"You're Sasuke of the Hyuu-…"

She could not finish her sentence as he set her head ablaze. An ear piercing screech filled the air while her flesh began to burn, the last of her embers flying as they disappeared into the light of the moon.

Body now lifeless and empty, he stepped off of the lump of flesh on the floor and haphazardly kicked it.

"I'm not Sasuke of _anything_ ," he said to no one in particular. It was over.

Suddenly feeling the weight of his body and the loss of his blood, he almost collapsed against the cement flooring. Holding an arm to the gaping hole in his body, Sasuke keeled forwards at the pain. He wasn't healing fast enough. The sun would be up in the next hour and he was a long ways from his apartment.

Struggling to remain on his feet, Sasuke attempted to make his way down the long staircase while trying to figure out how to get anywhere without someone stopping to be sure he was okay. The last thing he wanted was for some Good Samaritan to send him to the hospital against his wishes.

* * *

The classroom was in a frenzy as tired students ran for the halls the moment the instructor had dismissed the class. Eyes sunken in, Hinata observed that even the tutor was beginning to feel the effects of late night cram school.

Yet, despite the droning of the lessons and constant whispering of the students, Hinata found herself still distracted. For the entirety of the class, from the moment she had entered to the moment that it was over, she continued to search among the various heads and faces for that one familiar emotionless expression.

When it was obviously apparent that he was nowhere to be seen, she tried her best to reason the possibilities as to why he had not shown up. While she knew that he was dissatisfied with her attending the same night school as him, she was certain that Sasuke would not be so petty as to skip for the simple reason as to avoid her. At least… she hoped not.

"Excuse me?"

Hinata turned at the familiar voice. Standing behind her were the blonde and the pink, Naruto and Sakura if she recalled correctly.

"Ah, good evening," Hinata greeted the two politely and bowed.

The two exchanged a look, which Hinata could only describe as being empathetic, and the blonde began rubbing the back of his head.

"Ah geez," he chuckled.

Hinata raised a small brow in question.

"Look, we just wanted to apologize for Sasuke…" Sakura paused. "Our friend's behavior. It was totally uncalled for."

The two looked genuinely apologetic, with their eyes showing nothing but sincerity. She could tell neither were very good liars, a trait she often admired of humans. She gave the two a small smile.

"You two have nothing to worry about," Hinata assured them. "I was the one intruding, really."

"Man, and she's nice too!" Naruto groaned. "The bastard. We're really sorry."

"Naruto…"

"It really is fine," she assured them, again. Hinata gave a light giggle at their enthusiasm. Feeling only the slight bubbles of envy fill her, she pushed her jealous thoughts to the side as she looked between the boy and girl. "If you don't mind my inquiry, though… where is your friend?"

For a second the two paused, a sudden change if both of their expressions. Hinata could feel herself getting a little frantic, trying desperately to back track in case she had said something inappropriate.

"I-I mean… I… ah…" She stammered. "It's just when… he seemed rather attached to the two of you… a-and…"

She was terribly embarrassing herself. Several centuries old and still she lacked any social graces.

"He probably just decided to skip," Naruto said matter-of-factly. "He used to do it all the time."

"Naruto," Sakura reproved.

"It's true." A cheeky expression pass over his eyes as he spoke. "He was always doing it because of one reason or another. But usually because of his job."

"I mean, wouldn't you be exhausted after having to work all night?" Sakura tried to justify. Though Hinata could see that she herself did not fully agree with her own defense.

"Eh, no one asked him to work for police."

"He's doing it because his family…"

"But couldn't he have waited till he was at least graduated?" Naruto sighed. "I mean, I know Itachi started young and everything, but that bastard is never going to come out of his brother's shadow if he's constantly doing the exact same thing his brother did."

Sakura bit her lip.

"But Sasuke-kun's always been stubborn like that."

Naruto crossed his arms and shook his head.

"Yeah…"

Hinata looked at them with curiosity, wondering if the two had completely forgotten of her presence in front of them. Stifling a small cough, the two looked up look rather sheepish.

"A-ah, sorry, you probably found that really boring," Naruto apologized.

Hinata smiled and shook her head.

"No, no," she avowed, "I should be apologizing for my intrusion. Your friend really seems like he has a very complicated story."

She feigned innocence, it was easy.

"Ah, yeah…" Sakura looked uncomfortable. "Again, we're really sorry for yesterday. We hope you don't think too badly of him because of it."

"Yeah! He's can be a huge bastard sometimes but he's all right once you get to know him a little more." Naruto chuckled. Leaning in, he place a hand over his mouth a comically eye the people surrounding them. "And between us, the guy is a total bro-con."

Hinata tried to stifle her laughter at his last comment. Imagining Sasuke as someone who idolized his brother, Hinata dare not reveal that she knew more than she let on.

"Ah… but the guy can be a complete ass sometimes," Naruto sighed.

"Again, really sorry," Sakura repeated for the umpteenth time. Gently pulling on Naruto's school uniform, she started moving away. "Do you have a ride or a way to get home? There are some pretty dangerous creeps at night."

Hinata smiled. More out of the irony than of amusement.

"Don't worry," she assured them, "I'll be safe."

Sakura gave a skeptical stare.

"You sure?"

"Yes," Hinata nodded.

Though Sakura did not look entirely convinced, with Hinata's self-assured smile and unassuming stare, the pink and blonde finally left the school gates together.

Hinata saw as Sakura turned to wave, and she, too, gave one in return. But as their figures began to merge with the crowd, her expression changed to one of bemusement. How Sasuke could have friends as inviting as the pink and blonde escaped her. The two emitted strong auras, and she was certain that he cherished them greatly. She seriously toyed with the idea of possibly turning them… But then again, handling once child was more than enough.

She shuddered.

Like she needed to give more reasons for Sasuke to hate her.

Her lips dropped with her hand. Laying at her side and staring out into the crowed of city people, Hinata set out west, towards the outer edges of the city where the first train station sat.

She could remember clearly the day the city had planned to build the metro stations. Where the platform now stood, rotting and deteriorating, and rats infesting the infrastructure as pigeons lined their feces along the high beams, used to be a small lagoon. It had been a place Hinata often liked to visit, before the city's major expansion. But when the city planners had drained and filled the land, changing and distorting it beyond recognition, Hinata could also remember clearly how her blood had boiled and she had lost control.

It was a time before the treaty and the only consequence she reaped was a scolding from her father. He reprimanded her and let her go hungry for several months, locked up in her room. She had pined at the door and whined, Hinata could not have remembered a time she had felt more humiliated as the entire house could listen as the first daughter was reduced to a blubbering, starving mess.

The Uchiha compound was nothing to laugh about. It, in its own right, was a grand estate. With large stone walls and stone gates, the pathways were lined with cobble and doorways framed in marble. The Uchiha estate was a sight to see. After years of use, it still managed to keep its grandeur, unshaken. Even after being left so empty, it had long outlasted its owners.

Hinata ran her hands along the cool walls, her fingertips gliding like feathers of a wing. She had seen horrors. She had lived through horror. But being back within the cold, unfeeling walls, she felt haunted. The trail of blood did not help either, reminding her of a horrible aftermath.

"Ughhhh…"

She heard the moan coming from the west compound. Continuing to follow the small blood trail, Hinata feared the worse. As each step brought her closer, and the groans of pain grew louder, she could feel her own anticipation swell. Just outside the door, she could see how the blood had increased; yet the world seemed to go silent.

Taking in a deep breath, she slowly pushed the door open.

"Ah…" was the first thing she could say.

The room was vacant of any furniture or decorations. And it would have possibly been empty save for the array of dead pig carcasses lying about the floor, some with blood seeping from slit throats while others lay dry of any internal fluids. A few limbs twitched, trying to grasp onto the last strings of life, while most were simply shells of something that had once been living.

Sasuke had propped himself up against the wall, his breathing rugged as his eyes looked at her with a dull fire, a color oddly matching the crimson pig's blood dripping from his lips.

"Wha…" he could hardly heave a coherent word.

Hinata carefully stepped over the bodies of dead (and perhaps not so dead) animals and crouched down in front of him, her eyes flashing lily white. Emotionlessly, she removed the pig that was simply laying limp in his lap, letting it fall with a _thud_ onto the cement floor. His hands were finally free from the weight, but all he could do was uselessly grasp onto his stone dagger. Unable to put it to use.

She gave him a once over, noting that he was sitting in a pool of his own blood. He coughed, spitting sticky red onto her face. She did not flinch. Carefully, she grabbed onto the hem of his shirt and pulled it up his torso.

A gaping hole that split his abdomen in two globular, congealing halves glared back at her, their tar like appearance contrasting with the newer red that trickled out. Running her hands over the wound with fascination, she let her fingers curl their way inside, applying the parts that felt soft beneath her touch. He winced.

"Pigs are dangerous?"

Sasuke did not look amused. Hinata sighed twice. The first time from his lack of humor, the second time from the mess he had made.

Had he not been in a state of almost death, he would have openly protested when she took the stone dagger from his limp hand. But he could only give an inaudible groan that came out sounding like the wind that passed through the open windows. Moonlight trickling in, it reflected off of her lily white skin that matched her lily white eyes, carefully staring at him.

"This feels oddly like déjà vu," she commented in bad humor.

Drawing the dagger up with one hand, she made her movement swift and precise. And in the glow of the moon, crimson stained her lily. An ugly gash marring her porcelain skin. It trailed down her forearm, running like a red marble across her palm and down her fingers. It dripped like water onto his lips.

And despite all inhibitions, and against any will, Sasuke could feel his mind and body being taken over by instinct as his hand suddenly grabbed onto Hinata's. Violently pulling her down to him, his tongue tracing its way up the trail of blood and to her open wound. Placing his mouth fully over the cut, he began to suck and Hinata could feel herself being drained, could feel as her insides were being forced out. She bit onto her lip and tried not to cry out at his roughness.

His head was low and pressing deep into the nook of her elbow as he tried and tried to pull what her could, even as her wound was closing, he continued to press himself further into her. And when the cut could give no more, he still remained pressed against her skin.

"A cardinal cannot live on the blood of other animals alone," Hinata said, breathlessly. Suddenly feeling fatigued and tired, she gently pulled Sasuke off of her and placed him against the wall. "We are… created from drinking the blood of our cardinal parent, and so, in our infancy, we cannot live without their blood."

Slowly, she managed to lean her own body against the wall beside him.

"I refuse to call you mother," he was finally age to mutter.

"That's fine. I rather you didn't, I am technically younger than you," she told him. "Call me whatever you like. Humans have developed strange ways of calling those to whom they are bound to: honey, s-sweety…love…"

Sasuke said nothing. Internally debating whether to tell her the implications of when a man called a woman such things, he ultimately decided not to waste his breath on such trivial matters.

Hinata turned her head to him, lazily staring at him with her lily whites. His red eyes, tomoe spinning, stared right back at her. Unexpectedly, she reached a hand up to caress his face, running a finger over his cheeks, tracing the outline of her blood on his face. The lamination from the mood reflecting off her features, he leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers.

And she felt his tongue part her lips, enveloping the bottom one, he began to suck. From the point where she had bitten herself, she had been bleeding, if only so slightly. It was minor detail, but a true cardinal did not allow for blood to be wasted – if it could be helped.

When he pulled away, Hinata looked dazed. Not expecting the action, he wondered if cardinals could blush because he swore there was a pink hue creeping onto her cheeks.

"Don't get the wrong idea," he wheezed, letting his head lull straight ahead. He stared out into the open door, the cold night air drafting inwards. "I don't accept being a part of… you… and your clan."

"I understand," she whispered.

"I just can't die yet…" He could feel the unpleasant sensation of his nerves and tissue reconnecting, their fibers reconstructing. "Not yet…" he hissed. "Not… not till I find Itachi… not till… I get answers…"

"I understand."

"Not until he explains himself…"

"I understand."

"Not until he tells me why he left me…"

"I understand."

"And not until…" He gasped, his breaths coming out haggard and stifled. "Not until he tells me why he brought you to me… why he had you turn me…"

The night was silent, even for a peaceful night. The crickets and cicadas that often filled the void with their symphony hardly made a sound. The two sat together in their silence, listening to the breaths of the other.

"We have time…you won't die," she softly cooed. "Just… rest for now."

And whether he finally accepted his fate, or he was simply too tired to protest, he allowed her to lean his head against her shoulder. And he was surprised to hear her heart beat, though he supposed that it should not have shocked him.

 _Niveous turned cardinal._

He gave a breathy laugh.

"Trust me, love…" he said, using the word in all its irony, "no one escapes death."

* * *

 **End**

* * *

 _How was my butchered attempt at dark humor mixed with drama? I originally planned for the rating to be... T appropriate? I'm not too sure, the end felt a little erotic but that's just me. Anyways..._

 _Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it and please, review!_


End file.
